22/02/23

The Holy Spirit speaking through the prophet Joel assures us that God is always ready to accept the penitence of the sinner. If the whole community turns back to the Lord, if the whole of Israel shows it repentance for sins by fasting to take control of their worldly bodies, then the Lord's compassion will again bring his Mercy upon them. God has a covenant with the Jews, a community of the People of God.

The Psalm is the repentance of an individual for  having committed a grave sin. Adultery, fornication any perverse sexual activity has lost most of its significance in this age of same-sex so called marriages, co-habitations and multiple divorces but, for David his sin was a grotesque attack on the holiness of the Lord. David knew that by sinning he had cast filth into the face of his benefactor who had shown him only kindness and love. This psalm is a truly human sign of the penitence I need to emulate this Lent.

St Paul  tells us that every day is the the favourable time to ask for Mercy, for God is always ready to hear our repentance for sin. As a Jew he is aware of Community, the People of God and  preaches as part of a new community, the Body of Christ on Earth. Jesus also first preached to the Jews. He preached to the total community, but suffered, died and became the Resurrection not for the sake of any special community or institution but for the sake of each created soul.

Jesus does not tell us to abandon the way to Sacramental Grace he founded on Peter but to be aware that in our "secret place", the core of our beings there we can find our loving Father, Son and Holy Spirit who knows everything and in the totality of his grace pours out forgiveness on each one of us.

Dear Lord, this Lent may my intentions not be broken into the decorative paving slabs that lead to Hell. Let me use your grace to humbly accept your Mercy and know in my heart the enormity of your Sacrifice on Calvary. You know that I am thankful for the ease of my life. May the prayers of Mary and all the Saints of Heaven bring relief for those suffering agonies on this Earth and may their suffering be received by you as reparation for their unknown sins. 

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